As statistical data representing degree of interest in a program such as a television broadcasting program shown by users (viewers), audience rating is known, for example.
In Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-320743, a feature is disclosed such that an audience rating is fed back in real time for display on one's own television, and that an audience rating as of a playback at a later time using a recording apparatus is also displayed during the playback.
Further, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-10153, a feature is disclosed, that predicted audience rating rankings are displayed on a television monitor 7 so as to be used for users to select channels.
Furthermore, in International Publication Pamphlet No. WO98/26608, a feature is disclosed such that, in an Internet-connectable television, a program viewed by a user is determined from a viewing channel and a viewing time, and a program ID of the program is transmitted to an aggregation center, whereas in the aggregation center, an audience rating is obtained from the program ID.
By the way, as the number of television broadcasting channels is so increasing as today, it becomes cumbersome to select a program for viewing by taking a look at a program guide that is a paper medium or an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) that is an electronic medium, on which program guide data, such as program titles and their outlines, for giving guidance on programs are displayed.
Thus, as disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-10153, by displaying the predicted viewing rating rankings on the television monitor 7 so as to be used by users to select channels, the users can easily select programs for viewing, using the predicted audience rating rankings as a barometer for judging their popularity.
However, according to the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-10153, only the predicted audience rating rankings are displayed, and thus it is difficult to check, e.g., which program broadcast, when on which channel is ranked, where in the predicted audience rating rankings. That is, e.g., of program broadcast on respective channels during the same time, it is hard to make a comparison as to which programs on which channels have a higher reserved audience ratings. Further, it is also difficult to check audience ratings of program to be broadcast on a certain channel, or audience ratings of program to be broadcast during a certain date.
On the other hand, program guide data that gives guidance on (explains) programs to be broadcast on respective channels is displayed by division into broadcast time periods or broadcast times. Therefore, if an EPG can display therein statistical data representing degree of interest in each of the programs shown by users, such as audience ratings of the program, together with program guide data on the program, the user would be allowed to decide whether to view or record the program more easily by merely taking a look at the EPG.